Application system and corresponding application method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10076766-B2
Application number	US-201415022379-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 1, 2014
Priority date	Sep 16, 2013
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

The disclosure relates to an application system and to an application method for applying a fluid (e.g., polyvinyl chloride, adhesive, paint, lubricant, preservation wax, sealant, or PUR foam) to a component (e.g., motor vehicle body component), comprising a flow measuring cell for measuring a quantity flow of the fluid and for producing a measurement signal corresponding to the measured quantity flow, and an evaluating unit for determining the quantity flow from the measurement signal of the flow measuring cellin accordance with a measuring specification. The disclosure further provides a calibrating device for automatically calibrating the measuring specification of the evaluating unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An application system, comprising:
a material supply for a fluid;
an applicator;
a flow measuring cell coupled between the material supply and the applicator, the flow measuring cell configured to generate a first measurement signal according to a current quantity flow of the fluid at the flow measuring cell;
a first valve coupled between the applicator and the flow measuring cell;
a receiving container coupled between the first valve and the material supply, the first valve being operable to close communication of the fluid from the material supply to one or more of the applicator and the receiving container;
an evaluating unit in communication with the fluid measuring cell, the evaluating unit configured to receive the measurement signal and determine the quantity flow based on the first measurement signal and a measuring specification;
a container measuring element coupled to the receiving container and configured to generate a container volume measurement signal according to a current fluid volume in the receiving container; and
a calibration apparatus in communication with the fluid measuring cell, the container measuring element, and the evaluating unit, the calibration apparatus configured to update the measuring specification of the evaluating unit based on the first measurement signal and the container volume measurement signal.

2. The application system according to claim 1 , wherein the container measuring element is configured to generate a plurality of container volume measurement signals successively based on the current fluid volume in the receiving container during a filling of the receiving container, and
the calibration apparatus is configured to update the measuring specification of the evaluating unit based on the first measurement signal and the plurality of container volume measurement signals.

3. The application system according to claim 2 , wherein the container measuring element is configured to generate the container volume measurement signal upon completion of a filling of the receiving container.

4. The application system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a compressed air source coupled to the receiving container configured to apply compressed air to the receiving container; and
a second valve coupled between the compressed air source and the receiving container,
wherein the receiving container includes a piston component, and, upon opening of the second valve and application of the compressed air to the receiving component, the piston component is configured to actuate and displace the fluid in the receiving component therefrom.

5. The application system of claim 4 , wherein the piston component is configured to displace the fluid in the receiving component to the material supply.

6. The application system according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a third valve coupled between the receiving container and the material supply, to the third valve operable to open the receiving container to the material supply.

7. The application system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a fluid pressure controller coupled between the material supply and the flow measuring cell; and
a fourth valve coupled between the flow measuring cell and the first valve,
wherein, when the fourth valve is closed, the fluid pressure controller is operable to build up a fluid pressure at the flow measuring cell.

8. The application system according to claim 1 , wherein the first valve is a 5/2-way valve.

9. A method comprising:
measuring a flow of a fluid at a flow measuring cell, the flow measuring cell being between a material supply and an applicator;
generating a first measurement signal based on the measured flow of the fluid;
determining a quantity flow of the fluid at the flow measuring cell based on the first measurement signal and a measuring specification;
determining a coating operation interval has been met;
directing the flow of the fluid to a receiving container;
measuring a current volume of the fluid in the receiving container;
generating a container volume measurement signal based on the measured current volume of the fluid in the receiving container; and
updating the measuring specification based on the first measurement signal and the container volume measurement signal.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
generating a plurality of container volume measurement signals successively based on the current fluid volume in the receiving container; and
updating the measuring specification based on the first measurement signal and the plurality of container volume measurement signals.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
filling the receiving container with the fluid; and
measuring the flow of the fluid at the flow measuring cell upon completion of the filling of the receiving container.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
closing the applicator from the flow of the fluid.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
interrupting an operation of the applicator.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
emptying the receiving container.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the receiving container is emptied pneumatically.

16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
determining that a time interval has been met.

17. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
determining that a manual control has been activated.

Assignees

• Duerr Systems Gmbh

Inventors

• Stupp Manuel

Classifications

• G01F25/0007

  Physics · mapped topic

• B05C11/1013 Primary

  responsive to flow or pressure of liquid or other fluent material (B05C11/101 takes precedence; control of flow in general G05D7/00; control of fluid pressure in general G05D16/00) · CPC title

• G01F25/0038

  Physics · mapped topic

• G01F25/0015

  Physics · mapped topic

• G01F25/10

  of flowmeters · CPC title